In: Economics
Question:
Why would customers prefer eBooks over paper textbooks?
1. You don't even have to leave your house to buy new books or borrow them from your local library with eBooks. You can buy them from an online retailer directly and immediately download them to your phone. Even libraries now offer digital eBook loans, so you can download titles free of charge instantly without ever having to visit the library. You can purchase a complete library of new books on your eReader while you still wear your pyjamas or sit on your couch
2. EBooks Are More Portable Than Print books can be very large, especially hardbound copies, while most modern eReader devices are lightweight. Carrying an eReader with a full library of titles is much better than carrying just a few physical books. When you finish reading one on your trip, downloading a new eBook is much easier (and cheaper!) than finding a bookstore. If you have your collection synchronized to a cloud service, you can switch to reading on your phone seamlessly if you have extra time to kill but don't think you can bring your eReader with you. When you buy only online textbooks, taking them home and back to school will be much simpler. You can even load all of your books on the phone you're bringing with you anyway. This allows you to keep your entire library in your pocket so that wherever you are, your textbooks are available to you. This would allow you to research for a few minutes at any time, such as waiting in
3. EReaders Have Built-In Dictionaries A word you don't understand when reading a print book can be frustrating. You either need to find a physical dictionary, or to look up your phone or laptop. You probably don't bother most of the time, and you're just wondering. Many modern eReaders have dictionaries that allow you to search for words by tapping on any word you don't know. The meaning of the dictionary should appear right on the screen without even leaving the app.
4. EReaders Can Be More Environmentally Friendly Than Print Books It may seem odd to think that an electronic device could have less environmental impact than print books, but eReaders can use fewer resources to create than many books. The output of one Kindle generates as much CO2 as the production of 30 books for print. Most avid readers are going to offset this figure by switching to eBooks in less than a year. Although paper can be recycled, due to the sludge created during the de-inking process, the paper recycling process itself can cause environmental pollution.